Arab Watch Report on Economic and Social Rights in the Arab Region- Right to Food
Published on Mon, 2019-09-02 14:57
The right to food is a priority at the global level, and especially in the Arab region where countries with heightened armed conflicts as Syria, Yemen, Iraq and Palestine suffer from severe malnutrition. And yet, conflicts are not the only reason behind the deterioration in the food situation, because it is primarily due to the social and economic policies adopted, as well as climate change and change in production and consumption patterns. In fact, these policies have had a significant impact on small producers and rural populations. To better understand the setbacks for the right to food, the Arab Watch Report 2019 raises these concerns through 10 national and six regional papers, which all adopt an all-encompassing approach to the right to food and its aspects. The Arab NGO Network for Development (ANND) launched the 2019 Arab Watch Report on the Right to Food, which explores from a comparative perspective the political food economy in the Arab region as well as alternative models of food systems, such as the right to food, food justice, food security, food sovereignty and their potential implications in the region. The report includes 10 case studies from the region that serve as a comprehensive set of national reports covering half of the Arab countries: Mauritania, Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, Sudan, Yemen, Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon and Syria. The right to food is one of the basic human rights enshrined in international conventions and instruments as it is linked to human life, living conditions, dignity and physical and mental health. The concept of food sovereignty originated in the mid-1990s to propose the right of all individuals to adequate, healthy and safe nutrition that is compatible with their food and health habits and traditions, while maintaining sustainable production and consumption patterns. Moreover, it is utterly important to preserve the environment and not deplete the natural resources and wealth that are the right of future generations. |
